Grace Wrightstone is a rising senior at Cumberland Valley High School and an intern with the summer program sponsored by The World Affairs Council of Harrisburg and PennLive
“You know what a woman’s purpose is? A woman’s purpose is to have children,” the man said. “Thou shalt go forth and multiply.”
He called himself a “conservative,” and his views were rooted in 1950s America and images of women clad in shirtwaist dresses, cooking roasts, cleaning, tending to children, etc.
But many housewives in the 1950s were often unfulfilled in their stay-at-home roles. It’s when a variety of new sedative drugs, such as Miltown, were marketed towards women looking for “peace of mind” from household stressors and depressors.
I thought we had moved past this outdated view of gender roles. But not so. Conservative, traditional values still have great influence today in both society and politics.
The conservative right-wing holds tremendous power in America. This is evident in the election of Donald Trump, who pulled in 49.81% percent of the popular vote. Conservative politics is thriving, even in younger generations, especially among young men.
According to the AP’s exit polling, 56% of men under 30 years old supported Trump and his agenda, up from 41% in 2020.
Conservatives have gained power there is greater attention to what is described as a male loneliness epidemic.
A study by the Pew Research Center found that 16% of men feel lonely. A 2023 study found that Gen Z men, more than any other generation, agree with the statement: “No one really knows me well.”
Male loneliness is on the rise, but the same Pew research study found 16% of women also are lonely.
It is indisputable that men’s mental health is getting worse, but it’s the same for women. The differentiating factor for men is the stigma they face seeking support. For example, 22% of women would reach out to a therapist compared to only 16% of men.
Young men increasingly feel lonely, and feel they have no one to turn to. They are looking for a sense of community.
This is what Trump provides young men: a community through his Republican Party. It’s a compelling one for vulnerable individuals, considering Trump’s promise to “Make America Great Again.” Trump has taken specific actions to target young men by promoting his own shoe brand and even attending Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events, which garner mainly male audiences.
He has strategically created a sense of comradery for this demographic, garnering voters.
Why should a rise in male conservatism concern those who support women’s rights? Simply because many do no seem to support feminism.
Gen Z men, the same ones to who were most likely to agree that no one knows them, are identifying themselves less with feminism.
The Survey on American Life found that only 43% of Gen Z men identify themselves as feminists, compared to 52% of millennial males.
The Trump administration is harming women by cutting medical research funding, prohibiting DEI initiatives, and promoting anti-abortion policies.
The Department of Government Efficiency cut $3 billion in funding for grants specific to women’s health. The National Institute of Health even canceled grants for the study of uterine fibroid tumors, which affect 70-80% of women.
Trump’s war on DEI, as seen by his signing of multiple executive orders aimed at ending “radical and wasteful DEI programs” that have helped women..
DEI benefits women by creating more admissions opportunities at universities, working to close the wage gap, increasing representation workplaces, promoting parental leave benefits, and more.
Eliminating these programs is erasing progress in the social and work arenas that women have made over decaades.
By limiting access to abortion care, the administration is harming the health of American women. Some states that have enacted abortion bans are experiencing a 56% increase in maternal mortality rates. The Trump administration, and those that back it, are playing with the lives of mothers.
If we are to get through the war on feminism, I would urge women to “go forth” as the man said, and advocate for our own rights. I would urge men like him who feel threatened by feminism to also “go forth” and seek therapy to improve their mental health.
